1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus and methods to improve driveline efficiency, such as used in a vehicle, through an improved motor control system with inertial utilization and strategic combinations of driveline motive sources or motors. More particularly, this invention provides a drivetrain for a wheeled vehicle having mass, a driveline including a motor and inertial components, a controller receiving a desired velocity signal, and a selectively means for communicating energy for rotation of the motor, where the controller communicates pulsed signals to the means for selectively supplying energy for rotation of the motor in power pulses in accordance with pulsed signals from the controller. The motor can include internal combustion engines and electric motors, wherein power from the motor is pulsed to the driveline. Additionally, this invention provides a regenerative braking system which can also utilize a pulse system, preferably derived from the same controller that controls the power pulses, providing an anti-lock braking system.
The invention also advantageously utilizes multiple motors. Accordingly, this patent application also relates to a motor vehicle having a plurality of motors used in selective strategic combinations delivering efficient power to a wheel propelling the vehicle. In particular, this application also relates to binary sizing of the selected motors for installation into the vehicle. A control scheme is presented strategically bringing on-line the various motors for closely matching the horsepower requirement with the most efficient use of the selected motors.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Electric motor driven vehicles having battery storage means are known. However, such systems often lack sufficient driving range before recharging. In the present state of the art, a typical driving range between recharging is about 120 miles. Increasing this range to higher values is most desirable.
Regenerative braking is also known. In regenerative braking, energy normally dissipated by conventional brakes (i.e., lost as heat at the brake shoe or disk) is instead harnessed by transfer of the braking energy to an energy storage medium. Typically, electrical generators are utilized for regenerative braking and associated battery packs store energy which would otherwise be dissipated. Other means, such as a flywheel, can also be used.
It is also known in the art to combine multiple motors in a four-tired vehicle. However, those attempts known in the art have been to install motors of comparably equal size increasing the overall horsepower output of the vehicle. Not known in the art is strategically sizing a combination of motors and selectively coupling those motors for operation at or near an optimum horsepower output (maximum torque output at corresponding rotational speed) matching the instantaneous vehicle horsepower requirement.
It is also known in the art to provide a combination of a gas driven engine and an electric motor in an attempt in increasing fuel economy or reduce pollution. The selective coupling of strategic sizes of motors as not disclosed in the known art.
Moreover, it is not known to combine a pulsing system for a motor with a strategic motor size combination obtaining an overall efficiency of operation over a range of vehicle operating conditions.